Halis Özkahya

Halis Özkahya — Biography

Halis Özkahya, born on 30 May 1980 in Kütahya, is a Turkish football referee. He arrived in the top Turkish division in 2006, and his first Süper Lig appointment came in Konyaspor against Antalyaspor. He received his FIFA badge in 2009 and began taking international fixtures.

His international work included the 2012-13 UEFA Europa League group-stage match between Lyon and Ironi Kiryat Shmona, and the qualifying rounds for the 2014 World Cup, where his first assignment was the Group C tie between Germany and Kazakhstan. Between 2019 and 2021 the Turkish federation and Anadolu Agency announced UEFA and FIFA appointments for him almost every season. Some of his decisions drew sharp criticism in the Turkish press.

On 8 November 2021 he announced that he was retiring from refereeing, issuing a statement to the press shortly afterwards. His name did not disappear from the game: in the summer of 2025 the federation and Anadolu Agency reported that UEFA had given him a new appointment.